Multichannel multiplexed quasi three-dimensional display system

ABSTRACT

Analog signals on a plurality of channels are processed through electronic ultrafast multiplexing and timing control circuits to present control signals to the X, Y, and Z inputs of a conventional single-beam oscilloscope for providing a skewed display of the presentation of the plurality of channels on the oscilloscope. This results in a quasi three-dimensional representation of the signals. The analog signals on each channel are characteristically instantaneously one-dimensional in signal amplitude; each channel is then displaced in a skewed relationship and supplies in pseudodepth the second dimension such as frequency, (in some applications the second dimension may be position); time then being the third dimension in which the channel information is presented. The skewing of the channel presentation coupled with intensity modulation of the individual channels proportional to each individual channel signal amplitude creates the three-dimensional effect on the two-dimensional face of the oscilloscope.

United States Patent 1 3,614,521

[72] Inventor ErichE.Brueschke 3,440,342 4/1969 Beltrami l78/D1G.23

[21] Appl No ggvfod L Primary E aminer-Rodney D. Bennett, Jr.

Assistant ExaminerN. Moskowitz l a t e nted 1 "0rneys--Harry A. Herbert, Jr. and Robert Kern Duncan [73] Assignee The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air ABSTRACT: Analog signals on a plurality of channels are Force processed through electronic ultrafast multiplexing and timing control circuits to present control signals to the X, Y, and Z [54] MULTICHANNEL MULTIPLEXED QUASI THREE inputs of a conventional single-beam oscilloscope for provid- DIMENSIONAL DISPLAY SYSTEM mg a skewed dlSPlZ): of the presentation of the plurality of 6 Claims, 40 Drawing Figs. channels on the oscilloscope. This results m a quasi three dimensional representation of the signals. The analog signals [52] U.S.Cl 315/22, on h channel are characteristicany instantaneously 1 /1 dimensional in signal amplitude; each channel is then dis- [51] Int. Cl H0lj 29/70 placed in a skewed relationship and upplies in pseudodepth [50] Field of Search 315/ 18, 22; the second dimension such as freq n y, me appligg.

178/6.8, DI 2 tions the second dimension may be position); time then being the third dimension in which the channel information is [56] References cued presented. The skewing of the channel presentation coupled UNITED STATES PATENTS with intensity modulation of the individual channels propor- 3,404,309 10/ 1968 Hassell et a1 315/18 tional to each individual channel signal amplitude creates the 3,473,079 10/1969 Adometto et al. 315/22 three-dimensional effect on the two-dimensional face of the 3,315,120 4/1967 Yanishrvsky 315/22 oscilloscope.

PATENTEDUBT 19 um SHEET UlUF 25 HHIHIIII PATENTEDHET 19 ml I 3,614.52 1

SHEET UBUF 25 g ll rd (f/ziu26 I tklcll A. Abel/(scar:

If Y 4 #770 xiv; y;

PATENTEDum 19 Ian 3,614,521

SHEET 08 [1F 25 Pig-1T Hll HULL:

: m HH NH m: a...

"firmiw PATENTEDUU 19 m 3 s 1 4, 52 1 SHEET lUUF 25 PATENTEUUCT 19 IBYI 3, 6 14.52 1

SHEET 11 0F 25 PATENTEUum 19 I571 3,614,521

' sum 13 OF 25 FIG-29) ET55T1 in PATENTEBUET 191971 7 $3,614,521

SHEET 17 OF 25 1 *T g a PATENTEDUBT 19 m 3,614,521

" SHEET lSUF 25 I65 IZK/ 

1. An electronic system for receiving a plurality of channels of electrical signal information and providing input signals to the X, Y, and Z inputs of a conventional single-beam oscilloscope such that each channel is separately displayed on the oscilloscope and the display of the plurality of channels provides a quasi three-dimensional presentation of the received channelized signal information, the said electronic system comprising: a. master clock means for providing a series of uniform timing pulses; b. multiplexing means responsive to the master clock means and the plurality of channelized signals for providing a timeshared signal of uniform durations of each of the plurality of channelized analog signals; c. staircase-voltage-generating means cooperating with the master clock means for providing a vertical channel displacement; d. means cooperating with the multiplexing means and the staircase-voltage-generating means for adding the staircase voltages to the time-shared signal voltages and providing an input signal to the Y input of the oscilloscope; e. beam control means cooperating with the master clock means for providing a control signal of less time duration than the said determined uniform signal durations, for eliminating switching transients and controlling the beam-on and beam-off conditions; f. trigger means cooperating with the beam control means for synchronizing and initiating the display presentation; g. sweep-generating means responsive to the said trigger means for generating a horizontal sweep voltage; h. adding means responsive to the staircase voltage and the horizontal sweep voltage for providing a skewed relationship to the horizontal sweeps of the channelized presentation and an input signal to the X input of the oscilloscope; and i. voltage summing means responsive to the multiplexing means and the beam control means for providing an input signal to the Z input of the oscilloscope.
 2. Apparatus for receiving a plurality of channels of analog signal information and providing horizontal, vertical, and intensity modulation, signals to the X, Y, and Z inputs, respectively, of a conventional single-beam oscilloscope whereby the said information is displayed on the oscilloscope in channelized quasi three-dimensional form, comprising: a. master clock means for providing a series of uniformly timed pulses; b. matrix means responsive to the said master clock means for providing a series of sequential gate pulses of determined length, the numerical number of gate pulses in the series being at least as large numerically as the said plurality of channels; c. means responsive to the said matrix means and the said plurality of channels of analog signal information for selectively, sequentially, sampling the information signal on each of the plurality of channels and providing a time-shared signal representative of the plurality of analog signals; d. staircase-voltage-generating means cooperating with the master clock means for providing a series of step increments of uniformly increasing voltage, the said series of step increments of voltage being of the same numerical number of steps as the said numerical number of gate pulses and the two said series being of the same time duration; e. means responsive to the time-shared signal representative of the plurality of analog signals and the said staircase-voltage-generating means for adding respectively the respective staircase voltage with the respective corresponding time shared signal of sequentially sampled signal information and providing a composite vertical signal to the Y input of the oscilloscope; f. means cooperating with the master clock means for providing a beam cOntrol signal for determining the aperture time of the beam, the said aperture time being of less time duration than the said determined gate pulse length; g. means for generating a horizontal sweep voltage; h. trigger means for providing internal and external control of the sweep-generating means; i. means for adding the staircase voltage and the horizontal sweep voltage, and providing a horizontal input signal to the X input of the oscilloscope whereby the said plurality of channels of analog signal information is displayed in skewed relationship; and j. means responsive to the said sampling means and the said means for providing a beam control signal, for providing an intensity modulation signal to the Z input of the oscilloscope.
 3. An electronic system for receiving a plurality of channels of analog signal information and providing horizontal, vertical, and intensity modulation signals to the respective X, Y, and Z inputs of a conventional single-beam triggered oscilloscope having a determined signal delay in the vertical channel, whereby the plurality of channels of analog signal information are displayed in skewed channelized form on the oscilloscope, comprising: a. master clock means for providing a series of uniformly timed pulses; b. matrix means responsive to the master clock means for providing a series of sequential gate pulses of determined length, the numerical number of gate pulses in the series being at least as large numerically as the said plurality of channels; c. means responsive to the said matrix means and the said plurality of channels of analog signal information for selectively, sequentially, sampling the information signal on each of the plurality of channels and providing a time-shared signal representative of the plurality of analog signals; d. staircase-voltage-generating means cooperating with the master clock means for providing a series of step increments of uniformly increasing voltage, the said series of step increments of voltage being of the same numerical number of steps as the said numerical number of gate pulses and in one-to-one correspondence therewith; e. means responsive to the time-shared signal representative of the plurality of analog signals and the said staircase-voltage-generating means for adding the respective staircase voltage step with the respective corresponding time-shared signal of the sequentially sampled signal information and providing a composite vertical signal to the Y input of the triggered oscilloscope; f. means cooperating with the master clock means for providing a beam control signal for determining the aperture time of the beam presentation, the said aperture time being of less time duration than the said determined gate pulse length; g. means for generating a horizontal sweep voltage; h. trigger means for providing an internal and external control of the sweep-generating means; i. means including a delay line essentially equal in delay to the said determined signal delay in the vertical channel of the triggered oscilloscope, for adding the staircase voltage and the horizontal sweep voltage and providing a horizontal input signal to the X input of the oscilloscope whereby the said plurality of channels of analog signal information are displayed in skewed relationship; and j. means including a delay line essentially equal in delay to the said determined signal delay in the vertical channel of the triggered oscilloscope, responsive to the said sampling means and the said means for providing a beam control signal, for providing an intensity modulation signal to the Z input of the oscilloscope.
 4. An electronic system for receiving a plurality of channels of analog signal information and providing horizontal, vertical, and intensity modulation signals to the respective X, Y, and Z inputs of a conventional single-beam triggered oscilloscope having a signal delay in the vertical channel, whereby the plurality of channelS of analog signal information are displayed in skewed channelized form on the oscilloscope, comprising: a. master clock means for providing a series of uniformly timed pulses; b. matrix means responsive to the master clock means for providing a series of sequential gate pulses of determined length, the numerical number of gate pulses in the series being at least as large numerically as the said plurality of channels; c. means responsive to the said matrix means and the said plurality of channels of analog signal information for selectively, sequentially, sampling the information signal on each of the plurality of channels and providing a time-shared signal representative of the plurality of analog signals; d. staircase-voltage-generating means cooperating with the master clock means for providing a series of step increments of uniformly increasing voltage, the said series of step increments of voltage being of the same numerical number of steps as the said numerical number of gate pulses and in one-to-one correspondence therewith; e. means responsive to the time-shared signal representative of the plurality of analog signals and the said staircase-voltage-generating means for adding the respective staircase voltage step with the respective corresponding time shared signal of the sequentially sampled signal information and providing a composite vertical signal to the Y input of the triggered oscilloscope; f. means cooperating with the master clock means for providing a beam control signal for determining the aperture time of the beam presentation, the said aperture time being of less time duration than the said determined gate pulse length; g. means for generating a horizontal sweep voltage; h. trigger means for providing an internal and external control of the sweep-generating means; i. means including a variable delay line of approximately 50 to 200 nanoseconds, for adding the staircase voltage and the horizontal sweep voltage and providing a horizontal input signal to the X input of the triggered oscilloscope whereby the said plurality of channels of analog signal information are displayed in skewed relationship; and j. means including a variable delay line of approximately 50 to 200 nanoseconds, responsive to said sampling means and the said means for providing a beam control signal, for providing an intensity modulation signal to the Z input of the triggered oscilloscope.
 5. Apparatus for receiving a plurality of channels of analog signal information and providing horizontal, vertical, and intensity modulation signals to the respective X, Y, and Z inputs of a conventional single-beam oscilloscope, whereby the plurality of channels of analog signal information are displayed in skewed channelized form on the oscilloscope, comprising: a. master clock means for providing a first series of uniformly timed pulses and a second series of uniformly timed pulses delayed from the first series; b. matrix means responsive to the first series of uniformly timed pulses for providing a series of sequential gate pulses of determined length, the numerical number of gate pulses in the series being at least as large numerically as the said plurality of channels; c. means responsive to the said matrix means and the said plurality of channels of analog signal information for selectively, sequentially, sampling the information signal on each of the plurality of channels and providing a time-shared signal representative of the plurality of analog signals; d. staircase-voltage-generating means cooperating with the first series of pulses of the master clock means for providing a series of step increments of uniformly increasing voltage, the said series of step increments of voltage being of the same numerical number of steps as the said numerical number of gate pulses and in one-to-one correspondence therewith; e. means responsive to the time-shared signal representative of the plurality of aNalog signals and the said staircase-voltage-generating means for adding the respective staircase voltage step with the respective corresponding time-shared signal of the sequentially sampled signal information and providing a composite vertical signal to the Y input of the oscilloscope; f. means responsive to the said second series of pulses of the master clock means for providing a beam control signal for determining the aperture time of the beam, the said aperture time being of less time duration than the said determined gate pulse length; g. means for generating a sweep voltage; h. trigger means for providing an internal and an external control of the sweep-generating means; i. means for adding variable magnitudes of the said staircase voltage and the said horizontal sweep voltage and providing an input signal to the X input of the oscilloscope whereby the said plurality of channels of analog signal information are displayed with variable amounts of horizontal skew in correspondence with the variable magnitudes of the staircase voltage; and j. means responsive to the said sampling means and the said means for providing a beam control signal, for providing an intensity modulation signal to the Z input of the oscilloscope for determining the ''''on'''' and ''''off'''' beam condition and modulating the intensity of the beam in the ''''on'''' condition responsive to the instantaneous analog signal being displayed.
 6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein the modulating of the beam in the ''''on'''' condition responsive to the instantaneous analog signal being displayed is manually adjustable in magnitude. 